Module 2:Becoming a Nonimmigrant
Student

IntroductionSchool officials must possess the knowledge
and expertise to provide instruction to prospective students on how they can
become nonimmigrant students in the United States. This module outlines
the process — from a prospective student’s submission of an application to an
SEVP-certified school in the United
States to enrollment in a program of study.

Lesson
1: Applying to Become a Nonimmigrant StudentThis Lesson looks at the
responsibilities of the prospective nonimmigrant student and the school during
the admission process.

Several
events must take place before a prospective nonimmigrant student may attend
school in the United States.
The process involves the following:

•The prospective student applies to one or
more SEVP-certified schools

•Each school determines if the prospective
student fully meets its admission requirements and has the financial ability to
pay for the education and living expenses

•If admission and financial requirements are
met, each school that admits the student creates an Initial SEVIS record and
issues a Form I-20 for the student

•Each school sends a copy of its Form I-20,
signed by a DSO, to the prospective student

•The prospective student chooses a school and
pays the SEVIS I-901 fee. (See the SEVP Web site at www.ice.gov/sevis for a
full list of questions and answers regarding the SEVIS I-901 fee.)
•The prospective student then applies to one
of the following:

• The local U.S. consulate or embassy for a
visa (see the DOS Web site at
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1268.html for more information on
student visas and applications);

• The U.S. POE directly, if the student
is a citizen of a visa exempt country; or

• USCIS for a change of status to F-1 or
M-1, if the prospective student is in the United States in another
nonimmigrant status(see the USCIS Web site at www.uscis.gov).

Topic
1: Student Responsibilities

A prospective student
begins the process by applying to one or more SEVP-certified schools. Once
accepted, the student is responsible for paying the SEVIS I-901 fee and then
applying for a visa (unless visa exempt) or a change of status if already in
the United States.
Topic 1 examines these steps in greater depth.

After
completing this Topic, you will be able to:

•Locate the list of SEVP-certified schools

•Coach a prospective student on how to pay the
I-901 fee

•Advise a prospective student of the visa
requirements

•Advise a prospective student on how and when
to file for a change of status

Applying to SEVP-Certified Schools

Like U.S.
citizens, prospective nonimmigrant students must apply to each SEVP-certified
school they wish to attend by submitting an application for admission. A
prospective nonimmigrant student starts by identifying schools that are
certified by SEVP for attendance by F-1 and/or M-1 nonimmigrant students. A
list of SEVP-certified schools is available on the SEVP Web site at
www.ice.gov/sevis.

Prospective
nonimmigrant students outside the United States may visit
DOS-sponsored overseas counseling centers. These Education USA centers are set
up to counsel international students on higher education and study
opportunities in the United
States. For more information, see the
educationUSA Web site at http://www.educationusa.state.gov/centers.htm.

When
your school receives an application for admission from a prospective
nonimmigrant student, you must determine if the student meets your criteria for
admission and has adequate funds to meet tuition and living expenses.

Keep
complete records on the students your school accepts. Each accepted student’s
record must contain the student’s written application, transcripts or other
records of courses taken, proof of financial responsibility and other
supporting documents.

Record
an accepted student’s specific biographical and financial information in SEVIS.
This information, plus information about your school and the prospective
student’s program of study, is necessary in order to issue the student a Form
I-20.

A
prospective student may apply to multiple schools and receive a Form I-20 from
each school at which the student is accepted. However, the student must use
only the Form I-20 from the school that he or she intends to attend when paying
the SEVIS I-901 fee and when applying for a student visa.

Paying the SEVIS I-901 Fee

Prospective
nonimmigrant students must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee prior to applying for a
student visa, applying for student status at a POE or applying for a change of
status within the United
States. For detailed information on payment
of the SEVIS I-901 fee, please see http://www.fmjfee.com.Students can obtain proof of the SEVIS I-901
fee payment several ways:

•The receipt that can be printed after paying
online at http://www.fmjfee.com with a credit card

•The receipt issued by Western Union when
using the Western Union quickpay option to
remit payment

•The Form I-797 receipt

•Through fmjfee.com (allow three business days
for the interface with the DOS database to record the payment)

In
most instances, a nonimmigrant student is required to pay the SEVIS I-901 fee
only once.

Applying for a Student Visa

Prospective
nonimmigrant students outside of the United
States, who are not visa exempt, must apply to their
local U.S.
consulate or embassy for an F-1 or M-1 visa.

Each U.S.
embassy and consulate has a Web site linked to http://usembassy.state.gov/.
This Web site will have information on how to apply for a student visa and how
to make an interview appointment.

A
student must bring several items to the interview:

•A signed Form I-20 issued by the school the
student plans to attend

•A completed application Form DS-156, together
with a Form DS-158. Both forms must be completed and signed. Some applicants
will also be required to complete and sign Form DS-157. Children need a
separate form, even if they are included in a parent's passport.

•A passport valid for at least six months
after the proposed date of entry into the United States

•One (1) 2"x2" photograph

•A fee receipt to show payment of the visa
application fee, a visa issuance fee if applicable (please consult the Visa
Reciprocity Table located at
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/reciprocity/reciprocity_3272.html ) and a
separate SEVIS I-901 fee receipt.

Because
each prospective student's personal and academic situation differs, consular
officials may ask applicants, applying for the same type of visa, for different
documents. For that reason, the guidelines that follow are general and may
differ based on the applicant.

All
applicants should be prepared to provide:

•Transcripts and diplomas from previous institutions
attended;

•Scores from standardized tests required by
the educational institution such as the TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT, etc.; and

•Financial evidence showing that the
prospective student or sponsor has sufficient funds to cover tuition and living
expenses during the period of intended study. For example:

-If the student or sponsor is a salaried
employee, the applicant should bring income tax documents and original bank
records and/or statements.

-If the student or sponsor owns a business, the
applicant should bring business registration, licenses, etc., and tax
documents, as well as original bank records and/or statements.

Applicants
with dependents must also provide proof of relationship to their spouse and/or
children (e.g., marriage and birth certificates).

DOS
prefers that families apply for F-1 and F-2 visas at the same time, but if the
spouse and children must apply separately, they should bring a copy of the
student’s passport and visa, along with all other required documents.Module 2:Becoming a Nonimmigrant Student

Lesson
1:Overview of How a Foreign Visitor
Becomes an F or M nonimmigrant StudentTopic 1: Student
ResponsibilitiesApplying for Entry Into
the United States for Visa Exempt Students

Prospective
nonimmigrant students from visa exempt countries do not need to visit a U.S.
consulate or embassy to apply for a visa. These students, after being issued a
Form I-20 and paying the SEVIS I-901 fee, may apply for entry at a U.S. POE. A
CBP officer at the U.S. POE will determine their eligibility for entry into the
United States.

Visa
exempt nonimmigrant students should be prepared to present all supporting
financial and academic documentation upon arrival at the U.S. POE in order to
be admitted into the United
States as an F-1 or M-1 nonimmigrant
student.

Applying for a Change of Status

Individuals
can enter the United States
in one nonimmigrant status and then change their purpose for being here. Their
activities are limited to those activities allowed by the corresponding
nonimmigrant status.

For
example, a person may enter the United
States as a B-1 visitor and later decide to
stay to study. Since the person is changing his or her purpose from tourism to
education, a change of status is needed.

A
prospective nonimmigrant student currently in the United States in another
nonimmigrant status may apply to SEVP-certified schools. If your school accepts
the student, issue an Initial Form I-20 for reason of Change of Status. The
prospective student must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee and then file a Form I-539,
application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status with USCIS. The student can
find the Form I-539 and instructions on the USCIS Web site at www.uscis.gov.

Most
classes of nonimmigrants can begin studying while their applications for change
of status are pending with USCIS. However, those that are currently in B-1,
B-2, F-2, or M-2 status cannot begin their studies prior to approval of their
change of status. Also, B-1 or B-2 visitors should file for an extension of
status if their B-1 or B-2 status will expire while their change of status applications
are pending with USCIS or before the study program start date. You can help the
applicants check the USCIS Web site to find the current processing times for
change of status applications.

Nonimmigrant
students that initially entered as M-1 nonimmigrants are not permitted to
change status to F-1 while in the United States. An M-1 student who
wants to become an F-1 student must depart the United States and apply for an F-1
visa (unless visa exempt).

Topic 2: School
Responsibilities: Creating a SEVIS Record for a Nonimmigrant Student

For an SEVP-certified
school to create a Form I-20 for a prospective nonimmigrant student, it must,
by law, collect certain information on that student and enter that information
into SEVIS.

Once
your school approves a prospective nonimmigrant student's application for
admission, you are required to use the biographical and financial information
provided by the student to create an Initial SEVIS record for the student.

SEVIS
assigns each student record your school creates a unique SEVIS identification
number (SEVIS ID number). SEVIS uses all this information to generate the
student’s Form I-20, which includes the SEVIS ID number.

It is
critical that you populate the student’s record completely and accurately. Pay
particular attention to the name and date of birth fields. SEVP has provided a
Data Integrity FAQ (see http://www.ice.gov/sevis/faqs/data_integrity.htm)to assist with this process. Accurate data
input ensures data integrity and better data matching with other government
databases.

You
can enter dependent information only after you create the Initial student’s
record. Each dependent, regardless of age, needs a separate SEVIS record. The
class of admission for dependents of F-1 students is F-2; the class of
admission for dependents of M-1 students is M-2.

When
adding dependents to a prospective student’s SEVIS record, ensure the financial
section reflects the cost for their support in the funding information area as
well as the source of funding. You must print and mail a unique Form I-20 for
each accompanying dependent. Dependents need the Form I-20 to obtain a visa, if
required, or for a change of status application. They will also need the Form
I-20 to enter the United
States, if applicable. The prospective
student signs his or her Form I-20, as well as those for the minor dependents.
The prospective student’s spouse signs his or her own Form I-20.

Once
the student’s SEVIS record has been completed in draft status, you must click
Submit in order for the record to convert to Initial status and be assigned a
SEVIS ID in the system.

If
you need to save a draft of a student’s SEVIS record to return to it later, the
draft record can be found in the List of Saved Students. Access this list on
the Listing of Schools screen, selecting Student Lists, and then selecting
Saved Students. (SEVIS automatically deletes a draft record 45 days after its
original creation.)

You
may choose the student name from the list and then continue to edit the record.
An asterisk will precede fields that must be completed. Other fields, such as
Admission Number can be updated later.

Once
the student’s SEVIS record has been completed in draft status, you must click
Submit in order for the record to convert to Initial status in the system.

The
same screens are used to update and edit information for Active nonimmigrant
students.

Printing
and Sending the Initial Form I-20 to the Prospective Student

Once
you have produced an Initial SEVIS record for a student, print a copy of the
Form I-20 for the student and one for each dependent, if applicable.

You
or another DSO must sign all the prospective student’s applicable Forms I-20 generated
and send them directly to the student. The signature serves as legal
verification that the student has met all the criteria for admission to your
school and has proven capability to cover all financial requirements.

In
addition to sending the Form I-20, you may also want to provide a prospective
student with information about the SEVIS I-901 fee payment, information on the
visa application process, and information on what to expect upon arrival at the
U.S. POE. You should include contact information for all DSOs. Best Management
Practice:

Prepare
the student for the POE process.Help
avoid a secondary screening by reminding the student to copy and hand carry a
set of the travel documents.

A
consular official updates a DOS database upon issuance of an F-1 or M-1 visa to
a prospective student. DOS sends the visa information to SEVIS via an
interface. The interface will automatically update the student’s SEVIS record,
if there is an exact match on the name and date of birth. Consistency in the
spelling of a student’s name and a correctly entered date of birth ensures that
all current and future immigration documents will match.

The
name of the school the student will attend and the student’s SEVIS ID number is
recorded on the visa. A student in possession of an Initial Form I-20 is
required to enter the United
States with the intention of attending the
school that is listed on the visa.

After
visa issuance, the system will, ideally, run a check for any Initial records
issued by other schools to that student and automatically cancel them. However,
you cannot rely on the system to cancel those records or to capture visa
information on a student coming to your school, as these updates depend on
matching biographical data.

The
law requires you to determine if a student has enrolled in your school within
30 days of the program start date. If a student has enrolled, activate the
student’s SEVIS record.

If a
student does not report to you and/or enroll in classes at your school within
the allotted time, you need to cancel or terminate the student’s SEVIS record,
as appropriate.

•Cancel: Use cancel when the student has
chosen another school to attend or when you are aware that the student was
unable to enter the United
States.

•Terminate: Use terminate when you know the
student entered the United
States to attend the school but the student
failed to report to the school and enroll.

How to Populate the SEVIS Record

After
entering all of the data, you have the opportunity to print and review a draft
of the Form I-20. This is an excellent opportunity to proofread the entered
information before submitting it as a final product. While the data still
exists in draft form, you can edit any field.

Once
you submit the entered data to the system, you will no longer be able to change
the visa type or the education level on M-1 SEVIS records.

If
you need to change the program start date for a student at a later date, use
the Defer Attendance function (you can also change the program end date). Do
not use the Defer Attendance function once a student has entered the country.

Once
the student’s information is submitted in SEVIS, print and sign the student’s
Form I-20 and send the form directly to the student.

Lesson 2:Nonimmigrant Student
Arrival and Change of Status

Introduction

Lesson 1 outlined the
steps needed when a prospective nonimmigrant student applies to your school
either from overseas or from within the United States, and is admitted to a
program of study at your institution. Lesson 2 looks at the events that take
place when the student arrives in the United States to begin a program of
study or is approved for a change of status to F-1 or M-1 student status. The
general sequence of these events is as follows:

•A prospective student who is not already in
the United States
arrives at the U.S. POE must:

-
Present documentation required for entry into the United States

-
Receive documentation to be used as additional proof of legal nonimmigrant
status

•Student arrives at school and reports to you

•You activate the student’s record in SEVIS

Topic 1: Student Arrives at POE

Deferred Start Date or Students Who Do Not Arrive

Prospective
students may enter the United
States 30 days prior to the program start
date listed on their Form I-20.

Students
who cannot arrive by the program start date listed on the Form I-20 must
contact you, defer their program start date, and get a reprinted Form I-20 for
the deferred start date. You should not defer the program start date of a
student who does not report to school by the program start date but has POE
data on his or her SEVIS record indicating entrance into the United States.

This
action allows the student to begin later than initially expected or can allow
the student to arrive for a future semester. The student will need to receive a
new Form I-20.

If
the program start date has passed, the student has not contacted the school,
and there is no evidence in SEVIS that the student has passed through the POE,
cancel the student’s SEVIS record. If the student subsequently contacts the
school and still plans to attend the school, create a new SEVIS record and send
the student a new Form I-20 with the updated information.

While
it is possible that the POE will allow the student to enter after the program
start date, if the record has been cancelled, you will not be able to activate
it if the student reports to your school. You will have to request a data fix.

If
SEVP verifies that the student has entered through a POE and is able to attend
school that semester, SEVP will perform a data fix to return the record to
Active status. In this situation, if SEVP determines the student can attend a
session that starts within 30 days, the data fix will defer attendance.
However, if SEVP determines that the student cannot start within 30 days, SEVP
will terminate the SEVIS record and the student must leave within 15 days. The
school can issue the student a new SEVIS record for attendance for the next
available term.

Documentation Required for Entry Into
the United States

Upon
arrival at the U.S. POE, the prospective student must present the following:

•A Form I-20, signed by a DSO, from the school
the student will attend

•A valid visa containing the SEVIS ID and the
name of the school the student will attend (unless the student is visa exempt)

•Financial documentation as evidence of
ability to pay tuition and living expenses

•A valid passport

•Proof of payment of the SEVIS I-901 fee

The
prospective student must furnish the above documentation during POE inspection.
CBP officers at the POE sometimes take nonimmigrants aside for further
inspection. This is referred to as secondary inspection.

Visa
exempt nonimmigrants, including citizens of Canada
or Bermuda or residents of certain other islands described in 8 CFR 212.1(a),
do not need a visa in order to enter the United States in nonimmigrant
status. These prospective students do the following:

•Apply directly at the POE for a determination
of their eligibility to enter the United States

•Present all the documents listed on the
previous page except for the visa

•Provide proof that they paid the SEVIS I-901
fee prior to arrival in the United
States

Upon
full implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), all
Canadian citizens will have to present a valid passport to enter the United States.
Please see the DOS Web site at
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html for additional information
on WHTI.

The
Form I-94 expiration date depends on whether it is issued to an F-1 or M-1 student.

F-1
Student: Form I-94 issued to an F-1 student is issued for “duration of status.”
Duration of status “D/S” is notated on the student’s Form I-94 and Form I-20.
For an F-1 student, duration of status is the time during which the student is
enrolled in a full course of study plus any authorized practical training, and
following that, authorized time to depart the country. An F-1 student may also
elect to extend status by transferring or changing level to another program of
study.

M-1
Student: Form I-94 issued to an M-1 student is issued for one year or the
duration of the program plus 30 days, whichever date is earlier. By the date
indicated, the student must leave the country or apply to USCIS for an
extension of status. USCIS may grant extensions for the time needed to complete
the program up to a maximum of one year at a time. The module covering program
length extensions and reductions has more information.

POE Data Entry

CBP
officers enter the following information into a DHS database upon admitting a
nonimmigrant student into the United
States:

•Date of entry

•Form I-94 admission number

Operational
interfaces update student SEVIS records with POE data. As with the visa
information, this interface depends on matching a student’s biographical data.
When POE information successfully posts, you will receive an alert in SEVIS
under the title, “Students in Initial Status With POE Records.” This alert lets
you know that a student has entered the country and to expect the student to
report to the school by the program start date on the Form I-20.

Because
the interface is dependent upon accurate matching, it is important that you ask
all nonimmigrant students to report to your office immediately upon arrival in
the United States.
This allows you to accurately report when a student’s SEVIS record is not
updated with current POE information.

Form I-515 Entry Process

Occasionally,
students forget to bring all of the required documentation to present at the
POE. For example, a student may not have proof that they paid the SEVIS I-901
fee prior to arrival or the student’s Form I-20 may lack the signature of a
DSO. Using discretion, the inspecting CBP officer at the POE has the option to
deny the nonimmigrant student entry into the United States. However, the
inspecting officer can also decide to allow the student to enter by issuing the
student a Form I-515.

The
Form I-515 allows for a deferred inspection of a prospective nonimmigrant
student’s entry into the United
States. The student is allowed temporary
entry pending the outcome of the deferred inspection. The Form I-94 a student
receives upon the issuance of a Form I-515 allows the student to remain in the U.S.
for a period of 30 days. Within this time, the student must submit evidence to
SEVP to show that the deficiencies listed on the Form I-515 were corrected.

SEVP
will determine if the deficiencies have been corrected. If they have, the
student’s Form I-94 will be updated to show the normal term of status. If SEVP
determines the student did not provide sufficient proof of admissibility, the
student must depart the United
States before the expiration of the 30 day
period. If SEVP has not made its determination within the 30 day period, the
student can remain in the United
States until the determination is made.

The
Form I-515:

•Is entered into a central database for
tracking, and

•Expires in 30 days if the student does not
provide the required paperwork and evidence to SEVP.

You
and the student should read the instructions on the Form I-515 carefully and
mail it to the address listed on the form. If the student does not provide the
required documentation within 30 days, he or she must leave the country.

Topic 2: Nonimmigrants With a Pending Change of Status

Introduction

With the exception of
B-1, B-2, F-2, and M-2 nonimmigrants, intending students who have properly
filed a Form I-539 with USCIS to change their status to F-1 or M-1 may begin
classes prior to the adjudication of the change of status application.

After
completing this Topic, you will be able to:

•Know which nonimmigrants cannot enroll in
school while a change of status is pending with USCIS

•Know what form is used by students filing for
a change of status

Deferring the Program Start Date
during USCIS Adjudication

In
order for a prospective student to file a change of status, you must create a
SEVIS record and print a Form I-20 for submission with the Form I-539. This
puts the student’s SEVIS record in Initial status. You should not activate
these Initial SEVIS records until USCIS has favorably adjudicated the change of
status application.

Defer
the program start date when a student is within five working days of their
program start date and USCIS has not adjudicated the change of status. If the
student is nearing the end of their current status, advise them to file for an
extension of status to the next program start date.

Deferring
the program start date keeps the record from canceling while the Form I-539 is
pending with USCIS. So long as the change of status application is pending with
the USCIS, the student's name will display on the associated lists of students.

Topic 3: Reporting in SEVIS on Nonimmigrant Students Who Fail to Report by
the Program Start Date

Introduction

You
should make sure that new nonimmigrant students know to report to your office
upon arriving in the United
States. By regulation, nonimmigrant students
are required to report to school by the program start date listed on the Form
I-20.

After
completing this Topic, you will be able to:

•Know when to make a SEVIS record Active

•Know when to terminate a SEVIS record for No
Show

•Know when to cancel an Initial SEVIS record

•Know when and how to defer attendance

•Know when a petitioning nonimmigrant for a
change to F-1 status may begin classes

•Know what action to take in SEVIS when
reporting on a student with an Initial SEVIS record.

•Report the nonimmigrant student as enrolled
in a program of study at the school by setting the SEVIS record to Active
status;

SEVIS automatically
cancels or terminates a SEVIS record if it is still in Initial status 60 days
after the program start date. If the prospective student is still planning to
enter the United States
or is in the midst of a change of status, this could result in CBP denying the
student entry or USCIS denying a change of status.

New
(Initial) students can be found in the list of Initial Status Students.

Use
the Registration function shown on the student record screen to update SEVIS to
show that a student has arrived and registered. The word session as used
through out this topic is synonymous with term, semester, quarter, etc.

Step
1:

Data
Field:Current Session End Date

Instructions:Using MM/DD/YYYY format, enter the end date
for the current academic session. If the student is in the last session of his
or her program, check the associated box and do not enter a next session start
date here.

Step
2:

Data
Field: Next Session Start Date

Instructions:Using MM/DD/YYYY format, enter the start date
for the student’s next academic session. If the student will be on vacation for
the summer session, use the beginning date of the fall/winter session.

Step
3:

Data
Field: U.S.
Address

Instructions:Enter the student’s physical U.S. address. If the student is a commuter
student whose country of citizenship is Mexico
or Canada, check the
Commuter Student box. The U.S.
residence is not a required field for these students. However, if the commuter
student maintains a U.S. Post Office box, enter it in this field.

You
may use a Post Office box as a U.S.
address for students who are unable to receive mail at their residential
address. However, you are still required in these cases to maintain a record of
the student’s and dependents’ physical residential location.

Step 4:

Data
Field:Foreign Address

Instructions:Update the student’s foreign address. All
nonimmigrant students must maintain a foreign address, even if they currently
reside in the United States.

Instructions:If a student was issued a visa, an interface
with the DOS should provide this information. However, because the interface
depends upon exact matching information, it may not update SEVIS. You will be unable
to modify any fields populated by interface in this section. You will only be
permitted to populate unpopulated fields with this information.

If
the information did not post automatically, it is a good practice to enter the
information manually.

Step
11-13:

Data
Field:Admission Number, Port of Entry,
Date of Entry

Instructions:This information can be found on the
student’s Form I-94. When the interface did not add this information to the
student’s SEVIS record, it is a good practice to enter this information
manually.

You
will be unable to modify any fields populated by interface in this section. You
can add information if the field is blank.

Step
14:

Data
Field:Remarks

Instructions:Enter any applicable remarks regarding the
student. Any time a school official adds remarks the existing remarks will be
overridden. Remarks print in Field 9 of the Form I-20.

Best Management Practice

It is good practice to make copies of the student’s
Form I-20, visa, passport, Form I-94 and any other required documentation at
this time, and include these copies in the student’s file.

Reporting in SEVIS on Nonimmigrant
Students Who Fail to Report by the Program of Study

There
are three general scenarios you will encounter for Initial nonimmigrant
students who fail to report by the program start date. The Initial student:

•Entered the United
States through a POE, but did not report to the school by
their program start date

•Did not enter the United
States

•Applied for and received a change of status
but did not report for the current program start date as expected

When
there is evidence that a student entered the United
States but failed to report to the school by the program
start date, the student is, in most cases, out of status. The student has
violated the terms of their visa and nonimmigrant student status. In this
situation, you must terminate the student's SEVIS record. Use the termination
reason No Show - Manual Termination. Terminating a SEVIS record for the reason
of No Show automatically alerts ICE that an individual is in the United States and failed to report.

When
a student with an approved change of status and a record in Initial status
fails to report to your campus as expected by the program start date, terminate
the student’s SEVIS record for the reason of No Show - Manual Termination.

When
a student is unable to enter the United States,
but fails to contact the school to request a deferral of the program start
date, and misses the program start date, cancel the SEVIS record.

The
student will not be able to use the Canceled SEVIS record to get a visa or
enter the country. The prospective nonimmigrant student must obtain a new Form
I-20 if he or she still wishes to become a nonimmigrant student.

An
Initial student must report by the program start date listed on the Form I-20.
However, if an Initial student arrives at your school and decides to transfer,
work with the student to facilitate the transfer of his or her SEVIS record.
Transfers are covered in greater detail later in this course. You can also find
information on the transfer of Initial students in the F-1 Transfer FAQ, which
is found on the SEVP Web site.

SummaryModule 2 built upon the
procedural information presented in the previous module by providing detailed
information about each of the steps. Additionally Module 2 provided you with
the step by step directions necessary to complete specific documents such as
the Form I-20 as well as instructions for data entry for specific situations
you may encounter throughout the admission process.